Sayreville firefighters want promotions not politics next year

SAYREVILLE -- More than 30 members of the Sayreville Fire Department are disappointed in the mayor and some council members for changing the annual reorganization meeting -- where fire chiefs are sworn in -- from Jan. 1 to Jan 4. The reorganization meeting has been conducted on New Year’s Day since 1916.

Rory Zach, a former fire chief who spoke on behalf of the Fire Department at Monday’s council meeting, said the switch hurts the department’s volunteers, who have been planning for the event.

“The reorganization meeting of the Borough of Sayreville has been conducted on New Year’s Day for decades,” said Zach. “These individuals have risen through the ranks of their respective fire companies, have attended extra training and have earned the respect of their peers who have selected them to lead this fire department. They do not seek accolades, but deserve the honor of their appointment and oath of office on Jan. 1 in front of their families, friends, citizens and fellow fire fighters.”

Republican Councilman David Kaiserman and Democrat Councilman Stanley Drwal said they think the date was changed because there would not be enough votes to ensure that Council President Paula Siarkicwicz would be re-elected, after one member said he would not be able to attend.

The mayor, Siarkicwicz, Councilman Kenneth Kelly and Councilman-elect Nicholas J. Perrette all said they could not attend the Jan. 1 meeting. Therefore, a quorum — necessary to conduct official business — would not be met.

“It appears to me that the mayor has moved the meeting from Jan. 1 to Jan. 4 because he wasn’t going to get enough votes for what he wanted to do, which rumors state to make sure Paula gets reappointed to council president,” Kaiserman said.

He added that Mayor Kennedy O’Brien told him last month to vote for Siarkicwicz for president. Kaiserman said no, and last week learned that several council members now said they were unable to attend.

The mayor denied that and said the meeting was moved because several council members would be away, including Siarkicwicz who said she’d be in Florida with her mother because her father recently died.

“Everybody thought everyone else was going to be here,” said O’Brien, who added he has a personal matter to take care of on Jan. 1.

Drwal, whose term ends Dec. 31, called the move suspicious and said council members know it is their duty to be at the Jan. 1 reorganization.

Still, a motion was passed to have the meeting on Jan. 1. However, there will not be a quorum, so the meeting will have to be dissolved, said Borough Attorney Judy Verrone.

O’Brien called the move a “waste of taxpayer dollars” because the meeting would be advertised, and the clerk and janitors would have to be hired. O’Brien said he’d call for a meeting on Jan. 4.

O’Brien said the fire chiefs would be sworn in on Jan. 1 under James Weber, the borough judge, or Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski.

“It’s not a political issue for the Fire Department,” said Zach. “We don’t want to get involved in that, but there appears to be some politically maneuvering going on that has aversely affected us. It’s very unusual.”